Eclipse Wiki
Welcome to The Eclipse Campaign Setting Wiki The Eclipse Campaign Setting Wiki is a source for setting information on the Eclipse Campaign Universe designed for the GURPS http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/ roleplaying system by Steve Jackson Gameshttp://www.sjgames.com/gurps/. Primarily only used in house by a gaming group in Auckland, New Zealand. Introduction to the Setting It’s about ten years before the wide-scale advent of the technological singularity that changes human society forever. Human society at the moment, however, is politically and socially divided. Amongst those still paying some allegiance to Earth, the Terran Republic is lord and master, which - despite an apparent democratic system - is run on the back of continuing conflict between, and the shadowy politics of, massive “ metacorporations” - gargantuan corporate entities capable of dismantling entire governments. Across the other side of human space, a former breakaway colony is the centre of the Free Terran Systems, an idealistic “utopia” where merit is valued over wealth, and those “most fit” to rule, do. In truth run by an elite clique of oligarchs, this “FTS” seems attractive to those that have felt the harsher side of Republic life, but many within the “rogue” power still harbour feelings of discontent. Within the societies of both interstellar governments the vast majority of old prejudices have fallen away, but a new one has taken its place. Enhanced human genetic engineering allows for the modification of children and entire family lines, almost eradicating genetic diseases and enhancing the life-spans of those that partake of the technology. Unfortunately, such technology is expensive, and the more money you have, the more you’re able to modify your genome over the remaining “baseline”. Over the centuries, this loop has led to the emergence of two major social classes in human space - the “Hi-gen” and the “Lo-gen” humans, who form two distinct subcultures within their respective polities. Humanity is not alone in space, however, and alien species seem to be more numerous than might have been suspected in the twenty-first century. The Terran Republic of Earth remains suspicious of most of these alien species, with the major exception being the first to make contact with Earth - the Froan - who seem to share the Republic’s fascination with wealth. The FTS, on the other hand, joined the multi-species body of the Conclave, though mainly out of a need to protect themselves from the Republic. Now being partially absorbed into the cosmopolitan pool of this alien political arrangement, some within the FTS are questioning this decision. Fantastic technology continues to advance within human space. Great “ jump gates” allow for near-instantaneous travel between star-systems and Starships ferry goods between worlds - or prey on those that do. Computers can communicate at faster than light speeds and powerful weapons continue to be developed. Cybernetics and biotechnology battle for primacy over the human body, though the curious phenomenon of psionic talents also make an appearance, often complicating the distinction between lo- and hi-gen. With the true future of humanity just around the corner, human society as we would recognise it is coming to a close. As the largest entities, the metacorporations of the Republic and the cliques of the FTS sense this, however, and each seek to control the new orders that will emerge - taking increasingly desperate and audacious gambits as time begins to run out… Where to Start Check out any of the links in the introduction above, or skip straight to the Timeline of Human History to see where things came from. Alternatively, check out the High-Level Categories category for something of a tree of notable pages. Latest activity Category:Browse